TIME TO TONE UP!
Clever facial exercises can rival a round of Botox!
Face gym, face yoga and face training. Call it what you like, there’s just one rule: don’t knock it until you try it! We expect expensive treatments might be out of your budget right now, so some simple anti-ageing facial exercises might be just the ticket to helping you feel alive again.
Annelise Hagen, author of The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles With The Ultimate Natural Facelift, says, “Relaxing the muscles where we hold the most tension – the jaw, brow and forehead – counteract the wrinkle-causing grimacing we do on a daily basis.” Sounds just like Botox, only there’s no needles involved.
What exactly are face exercises?
Think of it like resistance training for your face. Think of your knuckles, or tools like jade rollers and gua shas, as mini dumbbells or resistance bands. It’s the same principle as doing a squat or a bicep curl, but instead you’re moving, stretching and building muscle in your face.
What are the benefits?
With age, our skin loses elasticity, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. When we work the muscles in our face, it helps lift and firm the loose skin. As well as tightening and sculpting, there’s a reduction in puffiness, an increase in collagen production, improved circulation, reduced water retention and inflammation.
A-lister Gwyneth Paltrow is just one of many celebrities who are face yoga converts. In fact, Gwyn’s facialist credits her impeccable complexion to facial massaging, revealing “the application of product is, a lot of the time, more important than the product itself.”
What do I need to do a face exercise?
Tools like a gua sha or jade roller can be incorporated into any face workout routine, but they aren’t necessary. All you really need is a face moisturiser or oil of your choosing and your hands (sanitised, of course).
How often should I be doing this?
Consistency is key here.
Set aside 20 minutes, six days a week and you’ll see results in less than two months. Pop on a Netflix show and you’ll be done before you’re halfway through an episode!